Eurail partners with EU to promote youth travel and cultural exchange

WYSE Travel Confederation member Eurail B.V., also known as Interrail, is partnering with the European Commission on an initiative aimed at offering opportunities for young people to travel in Europe, gain invaluable educational experiences, and reinforce their sense of European spirit. The Move2Learn, Learn2Move initiative announced this week will see at least 5,000 young people aged 16 and older involved in eTwinning educational projects travel to meet, exchange, and learn from their European peers.

“Interrail is proud to be involved in the innovative Move2Learn, Learn2Move programme. Actively supporting youth mobility and cross-cultural learning will only have positive repercussions for the prosperity of Europe in the future,” said Carlo Boselli, General Manager of Eurail Group G.I.E. “With this in mind, we welcome the discussions at the European Parliament level regarding the 18th birthday Interrail Pass for young Europeans as a means to enable mobility amongst youth and contribute to the strengthening of unity and harmony in Europe – founding principles on which the European Union was created.”

Each year, over 250,000 European residents of all ages use the Interrail Pass to travel to new and unique destinations in Europe, interact with people from alternative cultures, and learn more about the diversity and history that helps define Europe, in turn fostering an intensified European identity and shared understanding. Boselli emphasised that Eurail and Interrail rail passes, for non-European and European residents respectively, were founded on the value of European unification and demonstrate the essence of a shared European co-operation, with borderless, unlimited rail travel across in up to 30 European countries.

“Our Pass concept was first established in 1959, only two years after the foundations were laid for the European Union, with the same aims to foster mobility of travellers, peace, and greater intercultural understanding,” said Boselli. “It’s encouraging to see that almost 60 years later, the emphasis European officials place on travel in constructing an enhanced sense of European identity still holds strong.”

Further details about the Move2Learn, Learn2Move initiative can be found online.